Bishop urges fans to suppport Kean

Updated: 25 December 2011 18:18 IST

Under-fire Steve Kean has received a Christmas message of support from the Bishop of Blackburn, who urged fans to get behind their beleaguered man in the hotseat as the club try to move off the bottom of the Premier League.

Written by Agence-France Presse

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London:

Under-fire Steve Kean has received a Christmas message of support from the Bishop of Blackburn, who urged fans to get behind their beleaguered man in the hotseat as the club try to move off the bottom of the Premier League.

The League Managers' Association (LMA) had already called for an end to mounting abuse of Kean which reached a crescendo following his side's 2-1 home loss to Bolton while the local newspaper publicly demanded his dismissal.

But the Right Reverend Nicholas Reade called on supporters to show some compassion ahead of a tough Boxing Day fixture against Liverpool.

"I would say please, always remember the human being, always remember that he's part of a family - that other people will be suffering because people have got him in their sights," the bishop told the BBC.

Kean has said he is confident that under-fire Indian owners Venky's will provide the money for much-needed defensive reinforcements in the January transfer window.